Mike Lee, You are reducing me to tears, now if I can get this stich out of my side from laughing ... You have to train with John Johnson in Baltimore sometime, he has the same kind of banter during practice that leaves the rest of the class in wonderment why I am laughing while I am being thrown or tapping out.

Oh, Well.

Clarity of mind.

You must not be attached to emotions even though you have them, you must not be attached to life even though you cherish life, you must be clear of attachments that would cloud your mind or slow the reflexes of your body as you respond in either word or deed to maintain the non-violent peace of society.

Which means, no matter what kind of weapon, tool of destruction, be it a physical weapon or merely words/deeds, it is the person makes it happen, and the person who next to him/her who let's it happen. The darkness of ones mind determines if they will have the advantage to be victorious or be burdened by that darkness.

The moral dilemma of allowing a violent act to be performed verses having the capability to know how to be violent is but another moot point when practicing aikido. We practice to improve body and mind to attain a clarity to discern from the darkness and the clarity.

Indeed, it never Aikido that is violent, that is just a name for the practice we do. It is a description for movements, techniques, and manner of martial arts ... how could Aikido ever be violent?

So, yes ... Aikido can never be violent, it is the practitioner who makes that choices
Enough with hammers, grenades, and atom bombs mentality of describing these object being violent, as it is the use of them in particular situations that becomes the words/deed that makes up violent.

When inanimate objects become animate, because of robotics and computerized personality traits, or are used, then, of course, violence will ensue.